History of the Houston Concert Band

Founded in October 1977 in response to a local service organization's refusal to admit women, the HCB recruited its first members by word of mouth and newspaper notices.  In October 1978, the band was incorporated as a non-profit organization.

Our first rehearsals were held in the backyard of one of our charter members, but soon moved to the Bellaire Community Center.  The band was originally known as the Houston Community Band and our first conductors were volunteers from within the band.  Despite limited resources, the Houston Community Band played at a variety of area events.

It did not take long for our ambitions for greater visibility and a busier concert schedule to grow.  After the Bellaire Community Center was condemned, we rehearsed in a series of churches and schools, still with a rotation of directors from within the band.  At that stage, the band was performing in parks, at festivals including the Houston Festival (now the International Festival) and in area malls and churches.

With the selection of Tom Stutchberry as our first paid conductor, we moved to Alief Elsik High School for rehearsals.  It was then that we began supporting ourselves by collecting annual dues from our members and seeking corporate donations.  Mr. Stutchberry served as the band's director for a few years, then stepped down and was replaced by Dr. Ken Dye, then the Director of Bands at Rice University.

Under the leadership of Dr. Dye, things really began to change. After a year or two in Alief, Dr. Dye moved us to Rice University and the Houston Community Band, renamed the Houston Concert Band, began performing at higher-profile venues.  In lieu of malls and parking lots, we played festivals and in parades and schools. The band's visibility increased through performances July 4th at Astroworld, Foley's Thanksgiving parade, the Uptown Houston Tree Lighting Ceremony, and an annual "Salute to John Philip Sousa" concert.  Through our educational outreach program, Dr. Dye and the Houston Concert Band hosted an annual concert with a local elementary, middle, or high school band playing on the same program.   Under Dr. Dye's direction, the HCB received national recognition as it was asked to perform for the Association of Concert Bands at three of its annual conferences in Houston and Plano, Texas, and Lafayette, Louisiana.

In 1997, when Dr. Dye left Houston, the HCB launched a search for a new director.  Hosting a season-long series of guest conductors who created varied and well-received programs, the band was pleased to have Noe Marmolejo, Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Houston, accept its offer to become the band's conductor.  Under Mr. Marmolejo's direction, the band's performance moved to a higher level, as evidenced by greater attendance at our concerts.

Throughout our history, the Houston Concert Band has striven to promote high-quality performance of traditional and contemporary band literature. The impact of our outreach program has been noted time and again as music lovers, especially students, have seen that their love of music can last a lifetime.